Improvement in railway sleeping-cars



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAMFLOWERS, OF BANGOR, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY SLEEPING-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,790, datedSeptember 8, 1874 application filed March 6, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM FLOWERS, of

Bangor, in the county of Penobscot and State of Maine, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Railway Sleeping-Oars; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, that will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification, in which is shown a perspectiveview of my invention.

Same letters show like parts.

My object is to provide a sleeping-car which, while possessing all theadvantages of those now in use, shall be more economical inconstruction, capable of better ventilation, and secure more freedomfrom jar than those now in use. Moreover, from the arrangement of my carthe passenger can secure more privacy in dressing than in those carswhere the berths -face each other.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the seats a a arearranged in the center instead of at the sides of the car. Between eachsection a post, 1), extends from-the bottom to the top of the carthrough the center, and provided with grooves c, or similar devices.Within these grooves run partitions de, the lower one when not used, ashereafter explained, fitting into a space between and forming the endsof the seatsn a. The upper partition 0 is so arranged as to be capableof being pushed up into the monitor of the car, so as to be entirely outof the way in the daytime. To each sideof these partitions are hingedberths ff 9 g, which when not in use are stowed away, as shown, in theforward section A of the car, shown in the drawing. When the berths areto be made up, the lower partition d with its hinged berths ff is drawnupward until its lower edge, to which said berths are attached, is levelwith the bottoms of the seats. The berths f f are then turned down,resting on the seat bottoms, the partition 61 remaining upright in thegrooves o c of the posts b b, and separating the lower berths from eachother; Theupper berths are made up by drawing the partition 6 and itsattached berths g y down from the monitor, until its lower edge at ornear which the berths g g are hinged,

touches the upper edge of the partition d, when said berths g g areturned down into a horizontal position, the partition 0 remainingupright and separating the upper berths. The berths g 9 may be supportedby straps from the top of the car, as at h h, or by resting on the headand foot boards of the lower berths. At the end of each partition 0, oneach side, are hinged end pieces 71 t, capable of being turned out, asshown in section B, to make the head and foot boards for the berths..The same arrangement may be used for the lower berths, or the backs ofthe seats a a may be recessed and provided with slides j, which may bedrawn up, as shown at j, to serve this purpose.

Many changes in details of construction may be made without. departingfrom the spirit of my invention. The space between the upper edge of thepartition 0 and the monitor may be filled by a curtain when saidpartition is drawn down, or a casing may be provided, into which thepartition may run, and which shall remain stationary when the partitione is drawn down. Weights may be employed, after the manner ofWindow-weights, to assist in raising the partitions and attached berths.The car is also intended to be provided with the usual curtains,upholstery, &c., common to cars of this class.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Pate11t,is

1. In a railroad-car having seats through its center, the grooved postsb b, in combination with sliding partitions d, having berths f f hingedthereto, the partitions when resting on the bottom of the car separatingtheseats a a, and separating said berths ff when said berths are made upfor use, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railroadoar having seats through its center,- the grooved postsb b, in combina tion with sliding partitions 0 having berths g g hingedthereto, and separating said upper berths when made up for use, andcapable of being pushed up into the monitor of the car, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this3d day of March, 187 4.

WM. FLOWERS.

Witnesses WM. FRANKLIN SEAVEY, R. J. POWER.

